Metallic packing



I Patented June 5, 1923.

UNITED STATES JOSEPH HOWARD BENSHAW, CANTON, OHIO.

METALLIC PACKING.

Application filed October 3, 1921. Serial No. 505,176.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, J OSEPH HOWARD BE}:- SHAW, a citizen of the United States, residing at Canton, in thecounty of Stark and 1 State of Ohio, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Metallic Packings, of which the following is a specification. The invention relates to cylindrical, conical and elli tical packing rings and. bushing's; and tl fe object of the improvement is to provide a packing ring or bushing with an inherent expanding action in one or more of its three dimensions, when contracted .or

y compressed, and vice versa, as distinguished from a resilient reaction when flexed from normal alinement; and which will contract and expand without distorting the plane of the edges of a ring or the ends ofa bushing or thev continuity of any of the surfaces of the same.

v The object of the improvement is attained by forming or cutting in the body of a ring or bushing, a'series of parallel slots or kerfs in staggered relation, with rows of inflexible bonds at the ends of adjacent'kerfs, so proportioned that the bars or plates formed be-,

tween adjacent kerfs are comparatively thin "and will bend laterally only, that is tangenao tially or circumferentially of the ring, when the relatively thick bonds are compressed toclose the kerfs at the sides of the bonds, without deflecting or distortingthe bonds from their normal position, and without any bending of the bars edgewise, that is diametrically of the ring.

The invention is illustrated invarious forms inthe annexed drawing forming part.

hereof, in which-e 40 Figure 1 is a peripheral elevation sectionof the improved ring, showing its use on a piston in a cylinder; I I Fi 2 a plansection of the same on line II%I,Fig. 1; Fig.3, a fragmentary, perspective view of a piston ring somewhat enlarged, showing the arrangement of kerfs, bonds and bars in normal expanded position; 1 Fig. 4, a similar view showing the kerfs, 60 bonds and bars in compressed or contracted relation;

Fig. 5, a perspective view -of an ordinary split piston ring having sections cut with kerfs to permit a circumferential contrac-- tion and ex ansion.

Fig. 6, a ragmentary. section of a 'modified form f piston ring;

Figs. 7, 7 8, 8, 9 and 9 are fragmentary peripheral plans of rings showing modified forms of the slots and kerfs; Figs. 10 and llare side elevations, respec tively, of elongated, conical and cylindric bushings, containing a plurality of rows of kerfsforming bars and bonds;

' Figs. 12 and 12 and 13 and 13 are frag-- mentary perspective sections of rings showmg pther modified forms of slots or kerfs; F1g. '14 is a section on lineXIV-XIV,

Fig. 13; and

Fig. 15, a fragmentary perspective section of a solid'ring, showing slots or kerfs like Fig. 13, located in oblique planes.

Similar numerals refer to similar parts.

throughout the drawings.

For use as a c'ylindric ring: 1, as shown -in Figs. 1 m4, inclusive, the ring is first cast or otherwise formed of solid resilient metal,

after which a series ofradial slots or kerfs 2 are cut across the ring, alternately from opposite edges'thereof, as shown in Fig. 3, each kerf termi'nat'rngshort of the other edge of the-ring far enough to leave a deep inflexible bond 3 between the alternate kerfs out from that edge, and the cuts or'kerfs are spaced from each other so as to form comparatively thin bars 4' between the adjacent portions of the kerfs, which will bend circumferentially butlnot diametrically by a circumferential compression of the ring, and wlthout deflecting or distorting the thicker deep bonds from the plane of the edges of thering as shownjin Fig. 4.

For use on a piston 5, havinga ring seat 6 in its eriphery, the ring maybe circum ferential y expanded from normal position to pass over the rim of the-piston and willcontract to normal position in theseat thereof; v The parts are so proportioned that the ring must be circumferentially compressed from normal position to enter a cylinder 7, as shown in Fig. 2; in 'which position the resilience ofthe reversely bent bars 4 tends to circumferentially expand the ring into normal position so that every portion of the periphery of the ring is pressed uniformly and with equal force againstthe-inner face of the cylinder.

The-inflexibility of the bonds 3 maintains them in their normal plane when the -ring is compressed to abut their sides, as shown in Figs. 1 and 4, and it is evident that the circumferential resiliency of the ring causes it to fit the inner face of the cylinder, even though it is wornby use to be slightly conical or elliptical.

The thickness of the bars between the kerfs is proportionally less than the thickness of the wall of the ring or bushing, so

' that the bars will flex or bend circumferentially only, and will not bend or flex diametrically of the ring; which diametrical inflexibilit of the bars prevents any buckling of t e same between the bonds, and maintains a true geometric shape of the rin or bushing as a whole. 'l he ring may be made to more readily adapt itself to a cylinder worn out of true, by forming the ring I with the modified section shown in Fig. 6 wherein the inside face is convexed in the middle to form a rocker rib or zone 8 bearing upon the piston seat 6; and the outer face of the ring is recessed to form an annular channel 9 in the outer edges of the bars, so that only the faces of the bonds will impinge the cylinder. It will be understood that the width of the kerfs or cuts between the bonds is so narrow, that when the ring is compressed in use, and the bars are reversely bent circumferentially of the ring, the adjacent sides of the bonds are always maintained in parallel relation, and will either be in abutment throughout their whole extent or will I have such a slight space between them that if lubricating oil or water of condensation enters therein, the space will be filled and sealed thereby, so as to aid in maintaining, a steam tight joint.

It is preferred to cut the series of kerfs entirely around a continuous ring, but it is obvious that a split or a se mental ring may be made circumferential y expansible by cutting a series of kerfs in a portion or portions 10 of'the ring as shown in Fig. 5.

In the modifications shown in Figs. 7,

-7, 8 and 8, enlarged slots 11. or 11' may be cast or otherwise formed in the intermediate ortion of the ring, either arallel with e axis of the ring as shown in Figs. 7 and 7, or inclined thereto, as shown 'in Figs. 8 and 8; so that the alternate kerfs 2' and 2" need only be cut from the edges of, the rings into the ends of the slots. I

In the modifications shown in Figs. 9 aild 9, the kerfs 2 may be cut or formed a on the Inclination given to the bars 4" and 4 reverse curves; and it is evident that.

amet in, rows around the sleeve, extending length-- ,wise in the general direction of the axis of the sleeve, with inflexible bonds 3 at the ends of alternate kerfs at each end of the sleeve, and inflexible bonds 3 and.3 between ad'acent ends of aligned kerfs intermediate t e ends of the sleeve, so as to form annular rows of flexible resilient bars between annular rows of bonds.

In the modification shown in Figs. 12 and 12, the kerfs 2' are located radially from the inner and outer sides of a ring, and the sides of the kerfs should be radially cut,

especially along side the bonds.

In the modification shown in Figs. 13, 13, and 14, slots or kerfs 2 are out from two sides of a ring, which may be segmental and hollow, as shown in Fig. 14, or may be solid, as shown in Fig. 15; in which latter event the bars will take the form of thin resilient plates or sheets. 7

As shown in Fig. 15, slots or kerfs 2 cut from two sides may be located in oblique planes, so that the ring will contract or expand in all its three dimensions, whencompressed or tensioned circumferentially.

I claim:

1. A metallic packing having a series of laterally adjacent kerfs in staggered relation, with rows of bonds at alternate ends of adjacent kerfs, and resilient bars between the kerfs flexible circumferentially and inflexible diametricall of the packing.

2. A-metallic pee in having'a series of laterally adjacent kerii in staggered relation with rows of bonds at alternate ends of adjacent kerfs and flexible resilient bars between them, said'bars being larger in a diametrical than in a circumferential di-,

extent by a circumferential compression of the packing.

4. A .metallic packing sleeve havin aseries of laterally-adjacent longitudi yaligned kerfs in staggered relation extendrows of bonds.

5. A metallic packing'having a series of laterally adjacent kerfs forming bar members in staggered relation, with rows of bonds at alternate ends of adjacent kerfs having a relative proportioning with respect to the thickness and depth of the bar members intervening between said kerfs whereby flexing action thereof will be confined to a direction circumferentially of the packing.

6. A metallic packing having a, series of laterally adjacent kerfs forming'bar members in staggered relation, with rows of bonds at alternate ends of adjacent kerfs having a relative proportion to the circumferential thickness and diametrical depth of the bar members intervening between the said kerfs, whereby flexing action will be confined to the bar members circumferentially of the packing and whereby the adjacent sides of the bonds are maintained in parallel relation that they may abut throughout their whole extent by a ciicumferential compression of the packing.

7. A metallic packing having a series of laterally. adjacent kerfs in stag ered relation with rows of inflexible bon s at alternate ends of adjacent kerfs and resilient bars reversely flexible toward each other and otherwise inflexible, whereby the adjacent sides of the bonds are maintained in .parallel relation to abut throughout their JOSEPH HOWARD RENSHAW. 

